


Runaway

by Ziba



Series: Haikyuu Age [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abomination, Also Archive Warnings might change, Angst, As I said all the gorey stuff you find in your typica DA fic, Assassin!Shimizu, Attempt at Humor, Blood, Depends on next chapter, Dragon Age AU, F/M, I don't know if it's enough to trigger but still approach with care, Loss of Limbs, M/M, Mage!Suga, Mention of Death, More like regret though, Qunari!Asahi, Sappy Fluff, Some mention of self-hate, Sort of graphic wound description, This got from two to three chapters i'm sorry, Vomiting, Warrior!Daichi, Warrior!Michimiya, You know the usual Dragon Age stuff, also now with titles for each chapter!, but i totally have intention to, but i'm not promising anything, i might start making some illustration for this fic, it's getting longer, neither that i actually will, nor that it will look good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-05 07:51:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6696178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ziba/pseuds/Ziba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Suga escapes from the Circle, with no idea of what he's going to do with his life now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flee

**Author's Note:**

> This is something really silly that started as a writing exercise and ended up with a multichapter work.  
> I love Dragon Age, I love Haikyuu, and if you have seen some other of my works you probably know this. I really wanted to make an AU, and this is the start of it. (Or at least I hope so!)  
> Thank you for reading, criticism is always appreciated!
> 
> Special thanks to my friend @ivster for always having my back in this AUs.
> 
> PS: English isn't my native language, therefore if you find any grammar that looks funny, or expressions that aren't supposed to look like that, please let me know!

After running for three days straight, Suga is glad that the Circle of Ferelden was a tower. Having to go up and down it several times, he had managed to get fit enough to keep up the rythm of his escape.

Suga stops for the first time after he had escaped, and he is under a huge tree. He’s not sure where he is, probably somewhere near Redcliffe, if he has gone South. If he has gone North, then he’s probably near Highever. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t gone West, since he doesn’t see the Frostback mountains.

His legs give out the moment they stop running. They ache, his arms hurt, his chest falls and raises at a high pace, his breath trying to return normal without much success. He’s a mess, from head to toe. He hasn’t eaten or drunk or rested at all, trying to distance himself as much as he could from the Tower. Three days had been all that his body had to offer him. His throat is hoarse, his stomach is litterally eating him from the inside, he has blisters on his feet that hurt like mad, his bladder his about to explode and he’s pretty sure he’s about to pass out from exhaustation.

Suga smiles through all that, enjoying the feeling of newborn grass under his numb fingers, the sun shines through the leaves of the tree he’s lying under of, warming his sweaty skin, he takes a deep breath, diving in the scent of nature (he has no name for what he smells, not yet), he listens to the croaking of grasshoppers. Since his body has given up, he can’t do much except letting his senses overwhelm him.

He had been brought to the Circle at the age of nine, when his magic had manifested, ten years before. Suga had found a baby crow in his father’s farm, and had healed him with magic. He had shown to his parents how good he had been, and before he had knew it, he was locked into a prison of stone and water. His mentor had put him on the path of the Spirit Healer, for he had a natural talent for communicating with spirits and bind them to his will. Aside for that, he had been pretty average at all other schools of magic. At age seventeen, he had passed his Harrowing, and then had been in charge of studies about Spirits.

Then, he had messed up.

His curiosity got the best of him, and while experimenting he had summoned a Spirit of Wisdom, that had been immediately turned into a Pride Demon. He had managed to avoid possession, but the same couldn’t be said of his assistant. The Templars immediately declared that he had tried to perform blood magic, and they sentenced him to Tranquility.

He had had none of it, and chose instead of throwing himself out of the Tower. Out of sheer luck, he had survived the jump, and managed to swim to the border of the lake, with the help of what little Creation Magic he had mastered.

The Templar had, of course, started an all out hunt for him. Suga had felt their breath on his neck for a whole day, but he eventually lost them.

He bursts out a laugh, covering his face with his arm, even though the movement seems to take all his energy.

“I’m so dead” he mutters between a laugh and the other. Time three days, the Templars will be in Denerim, they will take his phylactery, and they’ll track him in no time.

He could try and escape, but escape where? The only place where he could have lived without the fear of Templars was Tevinter, and they would have caught him even before he had crossed the Orlesian border. 

Suga’s laugh breaks into a sob, as he curls on himself. 'I’m so dead' he thinks again, the realization becoming more and more real. 'I’m so dead and the worst is that I deserve it', he thinks as another sob escapes him. He sees again the Pride demon possessing his assistant - he won’t say her name, if he did that, it would be even more real - he sees her face melting into a mask of pain and horror, he sees the Templar blade percing through her chest, Suga sees her falling on the ground, a silent question on her unrecognizible face. He digs his fingers in his scalp, hoping for the image to go away.

Suga finally slaps his face, trying to calm down. He needs to calm down. Giving in on dispair wouldn’t have helped anyone. He could grieve and feel like shit later. Sure, he is as good as dead, his survival instinct murmurs to him, but he has to posticipate his departure from the world for as long as possible, and eventually he has to put up a fight. 

His breath evens, and he’s again the master of his own body. It might be uselees - it is useless - but he has to keep living for as long as he can. Suga can’t really say why he has to keep living, but he gets up, trembling limbs and all.

A list of what he has to do start taking form in his mind. He has to find shelter, find something to drink and eat, and possibly change clothes, since his Circle robe is dirty, torn, and recognisaible. He also needs to find something that he can use as a weapon, and if he does find a shelter he needs to make it a fortress full of traps. When Templars will come, he’ll need to try and kill them by being smart, since he can’t by being agressive. He gags a little at the thought of killing someone, or is it because of hunger, he’s not sure.

He turns around, not really sure why he chooses one route instead of another, but he freezes after half a step.

Before him is a young man, probably his age. He has short spiky dark hair, tanned skin, and a firm jaw; he’s wearing heavy armor and he has a sword and a shield with him. Is the shield that chills Suga's blood in his veins. It has the Sword of Faith on it. The man is a Templar, even though he doesn’t have the armor.

Suga shrieks, and immediately tries to flee. He could have fought, he realizes as he trips on a root of the tree, but truth be told he has so little fighting experience that attacking head on would have been a dead sentence.

He hits the ground landing on his jaw, blacks out for a moment, then rolls on his back. 'I’m dead, I’m totally dead, so much for putting up a fight', his brain starts blabbing, a little fire erupting from his fingers. The fire was so pathetic that not only it couldn’t have scared any Templar, but it also should have embarassed him as an harrowed mage.

The man takes a step forward, weapons toward him. “Wait a-”

“I’m gonna kill you, you hear me? Stay away!” Suga yells, failing at being intimidating. 'Let’s see the bright side, better dead than Tranquil'.

“No need to-” the man steps forward again, and Suga waves at him his little fire, trying to escape. The Templar looks at him with exasperation. He throws away his weapons, and rises his arms. “Please, calm down! I don’t mean to harm you.” he yells, trying to surpass Suga’s incoherent screeching. 

“Oh, please, you Templars always do that. You are just playing with your prey before smiting him.” Suga says, raising from the ground, hoping to buy some seconds by keeping him talking.

“Smi- I’m no Templar!” the man shouts, watching the flames that are still at Suga’s fingertips. Suga takes a deep breath, and does the only thing he can think of. He leaps forward, aiming his fingers at the man’s face. The man shouts, and jumps back.

The flames dissolve a second before licking the man’s face. Suga’s hand presses up against the warrior’s nose, and the man moans in discomfort.

If he had been a Templar, Suga thinks, he would have killed him. He lets the hand fall at his side, sighing in relief. “Thank the Maker. I thought I was dead.”

“Yeah, me too!” the man cries out, touching his own face to make sure it wasn’t burnt or something. Suga blushes a little.

“Sorry about that. Had to make sure.” he apologizes. Suga points at his shield. “That thing led me to think you were one of them.” Well, that and the fact that Templars are right now hunting him down, but he doesn’t voice that thought.

The man scratches the back of his head, then looks up and down ad Suga. “So... you are a mage, ser.” 

Suga can’t help but chuckle. “What gave me away, the flames or the dress?” he points at the robes he's wearing. But the man doesn’t seem to hear him, and approaches him until Suga can feel his breath on his face.

“Listen, do you happen to know healing magic or something? My commander has been wounded and I can’t do anything about it... I tried using elfroots but I think I ended up doing worse.” the man begs him. 'Yup', Suga think, looking at the worried expression on the face of the person before him, 'he’s pretty young'.

“I happen to know some of that but...”

The man grabs his shoulders. Suga jumps at the touch. In the Circle touching wasn’t something that happened often, except maybe for those stolen moments in dark hallways. “I’m gonna pay! I don’t have much, but even if I have to give you my last copper piece I’ll-”

Suga waves at him, smiling a bit, tilting his head on the side. “Is not that. I’ve been running for days, so I’m exhausted. I don’t know how much mana I’ve left, and if that will be sufficient... But I’ll definetely try!” Suga quickly adds, as the young man’s face start to look disheartened.

The young man seems to be about to hug him, but refreins himself.

“Andraste’s mercy, you are my saviour.” he breathes, smiling from ear to ear, and Suga blushes a little, and he passes an hand though his own hair.

“I wouldn’t say something lik-” before he can finish the sentence, the young warrior is dragging him somewhere deep into the woods.

“Come this way. I’m Daichi, by the way.” he introduces himself, hurriedly. 

“Sugawara, but people call me Suga.” the mage has to use all his willpower in order to not fall. The man, Daichi, smiles at him, but it doesn’t seem as sincere as the last one. His forehead is frowing, probably out of worry.

Suga prays to the Maker that first, he won’t pass out before getting there, second, that he’s not falling in a trap or something, and third, that he could be of some help to that young man.


	2. Call me Suga

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the last chapter, but one thing led to another and now this fic has three chapters. For the moment.  
> I wanted to give you an heads-up: while it's not that explicit, I had to describe a nasty wound here. There's also the loss of a limbs, and an operation.

Suga is lead to a what seems to be an abandoned camp. There are at least twenty tents, but he can’t hear a sound, as he passes near them. There are no other people except for him and Daichi, until they reach the biggest tent.

Before its entrance, there’s a small fire that has long died out. A young woman is sitting by it, wearing armor from the hips down, and only a loose shirt on her upper body. She’s trying to bandage what looks like a nasty wound on her biceps. As she hears the sound of their steps approaching, she lifts her head, and the bandage falls loose.

“Daichi! You are back!” she says with relief. “I thought- who’s that?” she eyes Suga curiously, tilting her head a little to the side. She has short brown hair that’s sticking to her forehead because of sweat, and big bright brown eyes.

“He’s a mage, Michimiya, he could heal the Commander.” Daichi answers hurriedly, and he keeps walking toward the tent.

Michimiya jumps when she hears that. “What? You really could?” she steals Suga from Daichi, grabbing him by his arm.

Suga gulps, feeling the pressure of her gaze. “I- I said I could try, but I have no idea if I-”

“Daichi you are back!” a male voice says from behind Suga. He turns, and sees a huge horned man walking menacingly towards them. He has read about those oxmen, the Qunari, but being before one makes him shriek. The oxman shrieks back, and leaps away, lowering his head and throwing up his hands in defense.

Daichi punches the oxman, who whines in pain. “Dammit, Asahi, stop creeping on people.” he scoldes him. Suga watches how little the Qunari seems to be under Daichi’s reprimanding gaze. Asahi has long white hair kept in a bun, and a little white goatee that sticks out on the dark grey skin. Before he can say anything, Daichi, leads Suga by the shoulder toward the tend.

“Don’t mind him, Suga. He looks scary but he’s has dangerous as a baby nug.” Daichi informs him. A complain comes from the Qunari, but Suga can’t make out what the words are.

The light of the sun is cut out once he enters the tend. It’s pretty dark inside, and it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the obscurity. There’s a bad smell, something that makes Suga’s guts twist uncomfortably. He can make up the shape of a man lying on the ground, with what seems to be a blanket on him. Sitting beside his head, there’s an elven woman with dark hair tied in a ponytail. She has a bowl of water on her lap, and is using a wet cloth to cool down the probably hot forehead of the man. On the other side is another elf, a male, that seems to be apologizing to the feverish man.

“I already told you” the man croaks, struggling to keep the voice even. “You couldn’t know the job involved Darkspawn. The one who should be apologizing is the bastard who sent us in their den.”

“But if I had checked better the info we had on the zone, maybe...” the male elf said, and he sounds like he is about to cry.

“Master Takeda!” Daichi calls. The elf turns toward him, and so does the woman. The man lying down rises a bit, leaning on his elbow, squeezing his eyes to take a better look of Suga. “Commander Ukai is right” Daichi goes on, kneeling beside the elf “nobody could have known what we were getting into.”

“So, Sawamura” Commander Ukai’s voice is slightly mocking. “did you realize that crying over spilled milk is useless and decided to come back?”

Suga doesn’t need light to realize that Daichi is blushing. The way he lowers his head and his shoulders tense up is clue enough of that. “I apologize for my ourburst, Commander. But I think that me leaving the camp was something akin to fate.” he gestures toward Suga. “I found this mage, and he offered his help to heal the Commander.”

Ukai shoots up in a sitting position, but he has to lay down again for a stab of pain, and lies down with a groan. “Maker’s balls, Sawamura. We have no money to pay him or anything, are you insane or something?”

Suga kneels beside Daichi, intervening in the conversation. “I already told ser Daichi that I don’t want money. But I also can’t assure that my abilities will be of any help.” 

“It will be best than doing nothing.” the elven woman speaks up, and all the men turn their head toward her. “Please, come here and take a look.”

“Hey, I didn’t say I was fine with a random guy performing magic on me.” protests Ukai.

“You don’t have much choice; Commander.” Daichi says, and Takeda nods in agreement.

Suga moves near the woman. She gives him same space - now that they are closer Suga can see that she’s gorgeous, and that she has a beautymark near her chin - and she lifts the blanket.

Suga covers his mouth in order not to puke. 

The man has different wounds. The biggest ones are one on the hips, that he can probably heal with some effort, and another on the outside of his thigh. This one is far worse, since it runs deeps and seems to have festered. The skin is swollen and bloody, with what seems to be pus pouring out of it.

For a moment he muses getting up, saying his goodbyes, and running away. Sure, he had dealt with wounds before, but they were little business. Children who got into trouble, experiments gone awry... All little accidents that needed little experience. Some of the older healers had experience of battle wounds, but he never had found himself on a battle ground, or near people who had been on a battle ground. The only life-or-death situation he had found himself in before had been when he assisted one childbirth. And he pretty much just stood there trying not to faint.

And now they want him to deal with a near-necrotic leg?

He fights against the revulsion, and touches the skin just below the wound. Suga understands that there’s not much he can do the moment his fingers brush the hopelessly grey skin.

“I think I can heal the one on the hip and the little ones spread around” he commences. The people around him tense and look at each other, hope in their eyes. Suga swallows the knot in his throats, and adds “but the leg one... It’s too late. The leg is as good as lost, and the only way to save the rest of the body is-”

“Is to cut it off.” completes Ukai, hands covering his face. The elven woman puts an hand on the Commander’s shoulder.

Daichi looks at the Commander, then at Takeda, who has lowered his head, and then to Suga. “What? But-”

“Fine, do it mage.” Ukai tears his hands away from his face, and lets them fall on his stomach. “Cut it and let us be done with it.” he points a finger at Suga, whose face is quickly losing its color.”Hey, don’t you dare faint” Ukai barks. Suga is pretty sure that he’s about to pass out though.

“What? I never did anything like that! I can’t I’m sorry, I-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” the elven woman says with an astonishing calm. “I’m not a mage, but I can help you with the flesh-cutting.”

“Ugh, Shimizu, you just had to say it like that.” Ukai protests. She looks at him with regret. Ukai waves her off. “Don’t mind me.”

Master Takeda gets up, and looks at the ground with an intense expression. “I’m going to help too. I’ll be your assistant and do everything you’ll need. Just give the order.” he announces to Suga.

Whose head is about to explode. “Would you all calm down for a moment? I already told you that I have no idea what I should do, I don’t have the skill or the experience to perform an operation like this.”

“Aren’t we all being too rushed?” Daichi’s voice sounds frantic. “Nothing against you Suga, but maybe he’s wrong? Maybe we don’t have to cut the leg, maybe we can do something else. Can’t magic do anything?” he looks at Suga with pleading eyes, and Suga shrinks a little in himself. 

“I’m sorry, not that I know of or that I can do. Maybe a more expert healer...”

“Damnit Sawamura, you bring an healer and then you second guess him?” Ukai reprimands Daichi. Then he looks at Suga. “And you, brat. We don’t have time to search for a ‘more expert healer’ and you are all we’ve got. I don’t really have a death wish, and you said you’d do it for free. If so, then just do what you think should be done.”

“You could die if I make a mistake.” Suga has no intentions of getting other blood on his hands.

“And guess what, I’ll surely die if you do nothing.” he lies down again, and the movement feels like an order. “Now do your thing. Sawamura, go fetch lady Tanaka, she’s somewhere outside the camp. She probably has stuff that can be helpuful.”

“But Commander Ukai!” Daichi protests one last time, cringing at how childish his voice sounds. “What will we do if you lose a leg? You won’t be able to fight anymore and-”

Ukai shruggs. “I’ll still be able come up with strategies, and you can lead the people on the battleground.” he scoffs. “Not that there’s much to lead anymore.”

Daichi opens his mouth to speak again, but Ukai stops him with a glare. “Go fetch Saeko.” 

Daichi storms out of the tent. Suga follows him with his eyes, and feels his heart thighten. Then it definetely drops when he realizes that all the people in the tent are staring at him.

“What’s your name again?” asks Ukai.

“Sugawara, but people call me Suga.” 

“Well, Sugawara, you have a few minutes to think about what you need so prepare a list or something.” Ukai all but orders. He presses his forearm on his eyes. “Shimizu, could you please give me some more cold cloths?”

“Of course Commander.” Shimizu soaks one of the clothes in the bowl in her lap, then she spreads it on the Commander’s face, after moving his arm.

“Sugawara, please tell us what you intend to to.” Takeda looks at him with an half curious half disheartened expression. Suga tries to keep in check the feeling of dread that’s creeping up inside him.

“I- I’m going to cast a sleeping spell on the Commander in order to not make him feel pain. Then I’ll... Well I once read about the procedure in a book. I’ll need a saw or something like that, and a lot of bandages to stop the blood, and something to stitch it together. But I have to admit, probably the quicker and safer way would be fire.”

Ukai curses heavily under his breath, and Suga understands that the man is actually scared for his life. Litteraly.

“It’s all right to be afraid, Ukai.” Takeda says, trying to confort the human man. Ukai sighed.

“Yeah I know, and I’m scared shitless.” he reaches with his hand the elf’s elbow, and locks it in his grasp. “Listen Ittetsu. If I die, you have to get my guys something to live with, you get me?”

Takeda puts his hand on Ukai’s, and squeezes it. “I won’t do that, because I know you’ll be able to make it through this. You have worked too hard on this company to die now.”

“Well, that was corny.”

A human woman enters the tent with a roguish grin. “Daichi told me that you needed me, so I wasn’t expecting you two being all mushy. I mean, I was expecting something like that from Master Takeda, but you Commander? Death sure does wonders.”

“Shut up Saeko.” he mutters, but grins back at her. The woman has short blonde hair that reaches her chin, and she’s wearing light armor. She also displays more daggers than one would think a single person should be able to have on. “Saeko, this is Sugawara. Sugawara, this is lady Tanaka. Now tell her what you need. She can supply you any plant or item you need.” 

“Aw, what a sweet little thing.” Saeko purrs, approaching Suga and swinging an arm around his neck. “What are you all planning here, being gloomy and doomy? I asked Daichi what was going on, but the kid didn’t say anything.”

“We need to cut off the Commander’s leg.” explains Shimizu.

Saeko looks at her with wide eyes. “What the f-”

“It’s the only way.” Suga says, as if he is apologizing. He tells her what he needs.

Lady Tanaka nods, then pats Suga’s shoulder. “I suppose we are in your hands.” she smiles a genuine smile, different from the previous grin.

She leaves and return almost immediately with what he asked, and leaves them again, telling Ukai not to “die, because if you do I won’t have a fun drinking mate.”

Suga sighs. It’s the moment of truth. He starts to cast a sleeping spell on Commander Ukai.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TAN TAN TAN  
> Somethings I wanted to say:  
> 1) Asahi as a Qunari (actually, a Tal-Vashot, but this is from Suga's point of view and he hasn't heard of Vashots ever in his life) is like my favourite idea ever. I'd pat my back forever for this.  
> 2) I love Michimiya and I want more of her in-canon. Period. Also I wanted more ladies in my fic, so I killed two birds with one stone and made her part of the company.  
> 3) Daichi, Suga, Asahi, Michimiya and Shimizu are all 19-20 years old, but you can still see them as "first years". In my headcanon for this AU, first years have 19-20 years, second years have 20-21 and third years have 21-22. So this is a sort of prequel, since I plan on writing something that features Hinata&co as newbies in the company. What I want to say is that Suga and Daichi aren't really OOC, I wanted to make them this way to have room for development (I don't even know if this makes sense ugh)  
> 4) SAEKO BEST GIRL. Also I might or might not ship her with Ukai, but I don't know if I'm going to eventually write something about them.  
> 5) I tried to keep Takeda in character by making him say something sappy but inspirational. I hope I succedeed.  
> 6) Saeko will totally be somewhat Isabela-ish, just a warning. Also the "lady" part isn't ironical. The Tanakas are nobility. You shall see.  
> Next update will feature the outcome of Suga's first operation, and other thing I don't want to spoil (and that I have yet to figure out)  
> Love you all  
> Ziba


	3. Wisp

Suga emerges from the tent during the dead of the night.

Around a tiny fire, the members of the company are sitting in silence. They rise their face at his sight, eyes glistening with hope.

Suga opens his mouth to inform them about the result of the operation, but fails and throws up. A chorus of disgusted noises follows.

“Take a bowl or something!” cries lady Tanaka, launching herself toward an abandoned helm.

“I-I think I’m gonna puke too.” Asahi puts his head on his hands. Michimiya pats his shoulder, with a pitiful smile.

Daichi rises and hurries at Suga’s side. He asks him if he’s alright between an onset and the other. Suga shakes his head, and vomits again once Saeko shoves the helmet in his hands. The mage feels a strong hand on his back, trying to confort him.

“There, let it all out.” says Daichi, looking somewhat green-ish. He doesn’t look Suga in the face, but still tried to help him.

Suga puts the helmet in a corner away from the fire, and looks guiltily at the little puddle at the entrance of the tent. Before he can say anything, Daichi waves it off. “Don’t worry about that. Sit by the fire, eat something and tell us how it went.” The young man leads him on a trunk used as a blench. Someone passes him a bowl of stew, and he feels nauseous again. Suga declines the food with a movement of his hand.

“No thank you, it wouldn’t stay down.” He stares at his bloody hands. He’s covered in blood from head to toe, but tries not to think about it. “The operation went well, I think. We shall see in a few days to be sure, but the Commander is already awake, and doesn’t seem to be in too much pain.”

“Is that so?” Asahi asks, his brow furrowed with worry. “I thought I heard a-”

Daichi throws a stone at the Qunari’s head. “Would you keep your mouth shut?” he almost barks. He’s sitting next to Suga, who has buried his face in his hands.

“I’m so sorry!” he cries out. “The sleeping spell wore off too early and he woke in the middle of the... cutting... I immediately casted another but...” the agonizing screams reverberate in his mind, and so does the white panic he had felt when he had seen the man’s open eyes. “I tried to be as quick as I could but- but I” his lower lip quivers, and he shrinks in himself some more.

“Maker, that’s scary.” Saeko mutters, scratching her head and glancing for a second toward the tent.

“Hey, it’s all right.” Daichi puts an arm around Suga’s shoulder. “You said it was your first operation, right? And he’s fine now, right?”

Suga sniffles. He has red eyes, even without shedding a tear. “As fine as a man who just had his leg cut can be.” his voice is bitter.

“Well, then, it’s still better than being about to die.” Michimiya says, gingerly squeezing Suga’s arm, which is covered in blood as well. “We know you did your best.”

“You don’t even know me?” it’s not supposed to be a question, Suga knows, it is a fact that they just met, and yet the sentence leaves his mouth with an interrogative mark.

“You were what we needed when we needed.” Asahi says without thinking, and blushes in the dark of the night. “I’m sorry, that sounded really cheesy.”

Daichi snorts. “Of course it did. But you are right. Suga’s truly a gift of the Maker.” he smiles at the mage. Suga blinks at him. He’s about to blurt “I was actually hunted down by Templars and happened to bump into you” out, but decided that he liked “gift of the Maker” better.

“Listen,” Daichi says, getting up, and Suga’s shoulder feels a little bit naked without that arm around it. “I think we call this a night. We are going to take turns to keep watch. There’s still Darkspawn around and that’s not the only thing we have to worry about. Only five of us are able to fight, so we need to be as careful as we can.”

Saeko pops up on her feet. “Ser Commander Junior is right, we need to keep watch. I’m going to take the first turn. You children go to sleep and leave everything to your ol’ sister.”

“Lady Tanaka, we are not sib-” Michimiya slaps an hand on Asahi’s mouth.

“Thank you, Lady Tanaka! I’m going to be second, and Asahi third. Then you’ll have to wake Daichi, big guy.” the girl gives a light pull to the Qunari’s pointed ear, and the horned giant whines in pain.

Daichi nods in agreement. “Good night everybody, then. Tomorrow we’ll try to plan what our next move will be.” Everybody moves toward other tents, and Daichi turns toward Suga, gesturing him to follow him. Suga rises, and bids everyone a good night of sleep.

Suga is led to one of the tent, presumably Daichi’s. “I think you might appreciate a change of clothes.” he says, opening a chest and pulling out of it a shirt and a pair of pants. He gives them to Suga, who takes them dumbfound. Daichi also indicates an humble tub on the corner of the tend. “The water is really cold, and I’m sorry for that, but you can use it to wash the blood and-” he gives him a perplexed glance. “-and whatever else your are covered in. I’m going to try and find something solid for you to eat. And maybe some wine.” he bits his lower lip, staring at the ground, for a second lost in thoughts. “A lot of wine.” he adds muttering. He leaves Suga with a forced smile.

Suga stands for a few seconds, not sure about what he should do. Then he sighs. He places the clothes on the chest, then starts to undress. His robes are tossed in a far corner of the tent, opposite to the tub. Once he’s completely stripped, he enters the cold water.

Goose bumps start to form on his skin, but he cares little. He isn’t used to cold water - one good thing of the Circle was the hot water always at disposal - but he’s too exhausted to bring himself to care. He scrubs away the filth he’s covered in, almost angrily, hoping that with the dirt the images of the day will also be washed away.

Suga can still feel sensation of flesh, blood and bone under his fingers, he can see the hallowed look on Takeda’s face, and the chilling detachment of Shimizu’s movements, as if she was used to what they were doing.

‘More fuel for my nightmares’ Suga broods, splashing his face with more water. He does so until his face is hurting. His brain started to race. What he’s gonna do now? He has to stay around for a few days. He needs to keep Ukai’s leg under observation, since it will need some more healing in the days to come. He also wants to take a look to Michimiya’s wound. And he is pretty sure Asahi is limping, even though he can’t be sure because during the split of a second he has seen him walking he was screaming. But he also has to worry about the Templars

When he feels clean enough - or, to be more correct, when the water is so black he can’t see his own legs - he leaves the tub, searching for something that looks like a towel. He finds nothing. So he decides to put on the clothes despite the water that still covers him.

The shirt falls loosely on his shoulders, while he has to recover the belt from his robes to avoid the falling of his trousers. Those are probably Daichi’s clothes, and the man is a bit larger than him.

Suga shakes his head around the tub, trying to dry his hair in some way. A little flame pours from his fingers, and he uses it to dry his hair and body. A lot of attention is needed, since he could roast himself if he’s not careful enough.

“I found half an ham and even an entire apple! And most importantly, I managed to convince lady Tanaka to give us a bottle of brandy.” without any notice, Daichi enters the tend.

Suga glance at him, and he’s almost proud that he doesn’t jump in surprise. The fire dies out, and he smiles at Daichi. “Thank you” he whispers, smiling softly, taking the food from his hand. Daichi sits on the ground, and Suga follows. It’s really cold, and he starts to shiver, but tries to stop the trembling.

Suga looks at the food in his hands, and for a moment thinks that if he tries to eat it, he will vomit again. In that exact moment, his belly growls furiously. Daichi chuckles, Suga smiles again and blushes a little, then he bites the ham.

‘I could cry right now’. The ham is old and doesn’t really taste that good, but after three days of starvation and a night of intense stress, it’s a real blessing.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t find anything else.” Daichi apologizes, uncorking the bottle of brandy. He takes a swing of the dark liquid, and coughs on it. “Yeah, I’m not really used to drinking.” the warrior adds, feeling a little ashamed.

Suga can’t help but grin. “It’s all right, neither am I. I suppose tonight is a bit special?” he suggest. Daichi nods, now serious, and drinks some more. Then he passes the bottle to Suga. The mage hesitates a little. He has never drunk anything in his life. Sure, there was a clandestine traffic of alcohol back at the Circle, but he had never took part of it. But, he guesses, he can’t really back away now, and the brandy can help with the cold.

Suga takes a sip. The liquor burns in his throat, but it feels good. He doesn’t cough, and takes a long gulp. Daichi stares at him with raised eyebrows in disbelief, but doesn’t say anything. Suga gives him the bottle back, and then resumes his eating. He feels warmer already.

Daichi leans forward, looking at him. “So, may I ask what’s your story?”

Now Suga does choke on his food.

Daichi leans back, looking away from him. “I’m sorry! That was too forward. And blunt. And impolite. You don’t have to answer, I apologize again! I was just curious.”

Suga punches his own sternum, trying to not suffocate.”It’s fine! I just, wasn’t expecting it.” he takes the bottle from Daichi, and drinks some more. “I’m gonna tell you, it’s the least I can do for you. Thanks, by the way.”

“For what? It was you that saved our Commander.”

“Yes but... you know. Not everybody would have just trusted a mage on the run straight away.”

Daichi laughs. “Yeah, that’s true. We are a strange bunch, though.”

Suga takes the last bite of the ham. “I noticed. Are you mercenaries?”

“Nope.” Daichi’s way of speaking is more relaxed, Suga notices. It’s probably the brandy. “I mean, not really. We are a company that resolves problems. You have bandits that keep attacking caravans? We can help with that. Need protection for a farm? We can do that. Wolf problems? We are your guys.”

“Sounds like a merc band to me.” Suga finishes his apple in three bites.

“We don’t go to war. Nor do anything that involves children and defenseless people.” Daichi explains. “If you look at us, there’s just a bunch of random people who don’t have another place to go.” another swing. “At least, we used to. We counted thirty-four people. Then someone payed us to disinfest a cavern not too far from here. ‘Some giant spiders’ he said. ‘Maybe a bear’. He said. Turned out to be an entrance to the Deep Roads. Darkspawn came all over us. Many died right there, others died a few hours later because of the sickness those creature spread.” Daichi rubs an hand on his face, a motion that betrays an immense weariness. “The Commander got hurt by one of those monster’s sword, but for some miracle didn’t get infected. Yui - Michimiya, I mean - was hurt while we were retreating, an arrow pierced through her armor. She didn’t let anyone see it, and I’m scared that it might be worse than she lets on.”

“I’ll take a look at her tomorrow, I promise.” Suga says. Daichi just nods, looking at the half-empty bottle in his hands.

“I don’t know what we’ll do now. There’s not enough of us to keep doing what we used to...” Daichi seems to be about to add something, but stops from doing so. Suga doesn’t blame him, and doesn’t expect him to completely open up to a stranger.

“It’s not like you have to decide that on your own, right?” Suga points toward the outside of the tent. “You have your Commander to do that, and also Master Takeda and the others. I know this is something awful to say, but since there’s few of you coming up with a plan for the future shouldn’t be so difficult.”

Daichi looks at Suga for a long moment, and Suga is afraid that he might have said something wrong. Daichi nods again. “You are right. I don’t have to decide alone. And, damn, I made it about me, when I originally asked about you!”

Suga notices that Daichi is doing his best to change subject, but allows him. “It’s all right, I was curious about your story too.”

The mage sighs. He really doesn’t want to recollect the last four days’ events, but he does all the same. He tells Daichi about his experiment, about the Pride Demon, the death of his assistant, and of his fortuitous escape from the Circle. Daichi stays silent, watching him intently. He doesn’t interrupt Suga once, nor he seems to be quietly judging him a maleficarum, and Suga’s glad.

“So, when you found him, I had just realized that I have about a week before the Templars will retrieve my phylactery, and will be able to find me.” he finishes. “The phylactery is-”

“I know what a phylactery is.” Daichi finally speaks. He takes a deep breath. “So you aren’t a blood mage?”

Suga almost jumps at him. “I’m not a blood mage! I would never practice blood magic! I was just trying to connect to spirits in the Fade.” he rises. Daichi follows him with his eyes. “Spirits aren’t all evil! Sure, there are those who want to corrupt mages and posses them, but there are also Spirits of Valor and Wisdom, and of Justice! They don’t really care about our world, and that’s why they don’t really try to get to this side.”

Suga kneels in front of Daichi. He feels as if his blood is on fire. He wants to show Daichi that he’s not a madman, and more importantly Suga wants to show to himself that his experiment was valid, and that he hand’t took a useless risk. He calls a little wisp from the Fade. He has learn to do so during his studies as a Spirit Healer. It needs little to none mana, and he doesn’t need lyrium to perform the spell.

The wisp is a lazy bubble of bluish light, that floats between them.

“See? This is a spirit, but it’s not an evil creature.” Suga wiggles his fingers around the wisp, and it rolls around his fingers playfully. Suga smiles a little, affectionately.

“Beautiful.” Daichi breaths. Suga just nods. Then he moves his hand toward Daichi’s face, and the wisp follows his movement.

“Wanna play with it?” Suga asks. Daichi doesn’t really nods, it's just a twitch of his head, but Suga takes the warrior’s hand, and places it near the wisp. The wisp retreats toward Suga for a moment, but then tentatively moves toward Daichi. Suga hears that the man is holding his breath, and chuckles. The wisp moves around the wrist, exploring, and then flashes a faint azure light.

“See? It likes you.” Suga chirps.

“I kind of used to be a Templar.”

Suga’s eyes grow the size of the apple he previously ate, the wisp perceives the change of mood and starts to panic. It starts sprinting around the tent, trying to find a way to escape. Suga follows it, trying to calm it down, but his agitation just unsettle the wisp more. He’s forced to put it down, and with a single blast of energy the little Spirit is gone. Its light lingers for a second, but eventually it fades away.

“What? Why did you do that?” Daichi yells, looking at the point where the wisp has disappeared.

Suga almost punches him. “Because it was this close to go crazy! Spirits are delicate creatures, and a sudden and strong emotion can unbalance them! I called it because we were both calm and-” he grunts, buring for a second his face in his hands. He’s frustrated. Very, frustrated. He emerges from his hands. “You lied to me. You told me you weren’t a Templar.”

Daichi raises his hands in defense, like he did in the forest. “First of all, you were trying to kill me! Second of all, I’m not a Templar. I just underwent Templar training.”

Suga is about to bite an answer back, but refrains. It’s a decision taken in the blink of an eye, but he chooses not to see malice in Daichi’s action. If he had wanted to hurt Suga in any way, he would have already done that.

“Well, and this sort of explain why people were so all right with me being here.” Suga says. “They just thought ‘If worst comes to worst, the Templar can just kill him’”

Daichi pinches the bridge of his noise. “Hardly. Nobody except Ukai knows this. Listen, I was in a monastery, then I escaped. Not that different from you.”

Suga sees Daichi’s frown, and all remaining anger fades away. “I suppose that a Templar’s life isn’t that good either.”

“Expecially if you didn’t chose that life.”

Daichi looks again young. Suga feels something twist in his guts. Yes, he can’t stay mad at him. It would be foolish, and it would be unfair.

So Suga punches Daichi in arm. The warrior actually yelps. “Fine, I’m not angry at you. I’m sorry.”

Daichi rubs his arm in pain, but smiles at the mage. “I’m glad.”

The pair stays in silence for a number of minutes. Suga is about to ask where he should sleep, in part because he really needs to sleep, and in part because he wants to break the awkward silence. Daichi though speaks first.

“You want to join us?”

Suga blinks once. Twice. Tilts his head to the side.

“I mean, we should probably talk with Ukai first, and also see what’s gonna be of us, but if you want you could. We only had a mage, and we lost her, and you don’t seem to have any other place... Not that I mean something bad by that, but you see-”

“I wish I could.” Suga says. “But the Templars will be on me in no time, and I don’t want to put you in danger. Hiding an apostate - which I am now - is a crime-”

“-punishable with death, I know. But we can work something about that, don’t you think? All we need is your phylactery.”

“Which is in Denerim. Under heavy protection.”

“Is in Denerim ‘now’. Soon it will be in the pocket of some person.”

Suga tilts his head.

He smiles, with a bit of hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mhehehehehehehe  
> 1) I honestly have no idea where I'm going, so I just eliminated the chapters count. There will be a couple more, though, at least  
> 2) These two dorks.  
> 3) I dare you to guess what Daichi's "Beautiful" was reffering to. Hint: Not the wisp.  
> 4) Trying to stay in character is hard.  
> 5) Poor Asahi didn't deserve that stone to be thrown at him  
> 6) Did I just pull the "almost-Templar" card? Yes, Yes I did (I'm Alistair trash ok.)  
> 7) I want all of you to take a moment and imagine badass Michimiya not giving a damn about an arrow in her arm and still fighting with all her might. Thank you for your moment.  
> 8) Slow burn is hard. (I don't even know if slow burn is the right expression)  
> 9) Synonims? What are synonims  
> 10) Too. Much. Smiling. And. Blushing.  
> 11) You guys still don't know, but the sentence "I'm not a blood mage" is ironic. So full of angst. You shall see.  
> Thank you again for reading!  
> Love  
> Ziba


	4. Will to live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't re-read this because I'm an horrible person, so editing might happen. I just wanted to get this out of my system, since nothing really happens, action wise.  
> Psychologically-wise, on the other hand... I mean, I at least hope so.

“No.”

Suga stares in disbelief. Daichi stares in disbelief.

“But-”

“Are you deaf? Read my lips: N-O” the Commander points at his own mouth, exaggerating the two letters.

“The others said they were fine with this!” Daichi protests, angrily gesturing toward the outside of the tent.

Ukai tilts his head to the side, an exasperated expression on his face. “Then the others have nug crap in their heads instead of a brain.” He plants his index finger right before Suga’s nose. “I should have known there was a catch. I fell for that ‘I don’t want any money!’” he says this in a high-pitched voice that’s supposed to imitate Suga’s voice “trap of yours. If I had known that this was your price for you healing me, I’d have cut that damn leg off myself.”

“It wasn’t a trap!” Suga protests. “I don’t want anything for that!” he turns to Daichi. “I told you this was foolish. There’s no need to-”

“If we don’t recover Suga’s phylactery-” Daichi says slowl “-the Templars will kill him or worse, and we’ll lose a good healer.”

After a meagre breakfast, Daichi had explained to the remaining members of the company that, in order to have Suga join them, they needed to destroy his phylactery.

Asahi had asked what that was, and Suga had explained that the Chantry tracks down the mages using their blood. Which was, technically, blood magic. The irony.

“Well, we could use Sugawara’s strenght in our team now.” Master Takeda had said, smiling encouragingly at Suga. 

“The ph- fil- that thing is in Denerim, right?” lady Tanaka had asked, as she was sharpening an expensive-looking knife. “How exactly do we get it? We assault the Chantry, take the Holy Mother or whatever as an hostage, and use her to get the phylathing?”

“Listen, my plan is pretty simple. We wait for the Templars to come and get him, we snatch the phylactery from their hands, destroy it, and then we deal with them. Easy.” had explained Daichi. He and Suga had talked all night about the “plan”, and that had seemed to them like the only option.

“I- I think I’m in? I mean, I want to help Suga, not that I think I can be of much help, but...” Daichi had smiled at Asahi, and had punched him affectionately.

“You wimp! I thought you were about to pass out, not to agree.” Asahi shyly had scratched the back of his neck, 

“Certainty of death, small chance of success- what are we waiting for?” Saeko beamed, putting the knife in a sheath tied to her outer thigh.

Michimiya had pinched the bridge of her nose. “I wouldn’t put it in that way, lady Tanaka.” she had turned toward Daichi. “You really think this is a good idea? I mean, no disrespect for Suga, but don’t you think it’s a bit... reckless?”

Daichi had pointed at the bandaged bicep of the young woman. “Suga is a good healer, as you have seen with your eyes. We are short in numbers, and we definitely need his help. And more importantly, we are in his debt. He saved Ukai’s life, don’t forget.”

“Oh, please, don’t make it about that.” Suga had immediately said. “I’d rather take this a favor that you’ll make me and that I’ll repay working with you than-”

“Nonsense!” Saeko had flung an arm around Suga’s neck, squeezing him in an iron grasp. “You are already one of my kiddos, and good old Saeko here doesn’t leave her kids in trouble.”

“And you know what they say about Crows.” Takeda had added. “They salvage everything and make it their own. You began part of our group from the moment Daichi brought you in out camp.”

Suga had seen the smiles on everybody’s face, about to tear up. After being driven away by his own family, after years in a place where had felt not to belong, not to accepted even among his peers, his brethren, hearing words like that from complete strangers had made his heart bursting with joy. 

He had been about to actually shed a tear, then his brain had registered one word in particular.

“Crows?” he had asked cautiously.

They all had tilted their heads like said birds. “Yeah, we are The Crows, didn’t I tell you?” said Daichi.

Suga had blinked once. Then twice. Then another time for good measure.

His mind was flooded with memories of the rumors about the Antivan Crows. An assassin guild whose members were ruthless assassins, and who in order to became member had to undergo unspeakable tortures.

Suga had turned to Daichi, red with anger and fear. “You lied to me _again_? You told me you weren’t murderers and stuff!”

Daichi had looked at him confused. “What? I-”

“You know what? I appreciate the thought, but I’m out. Sorry, not gonna get involved with assassins and stuff.” he had gotten up, ready to find the nearest escape route. He knew he was dead anyway, because he had heard that no one leaves the Crows and lives to tell the story.

A clear laugh had stopped his motion. “Sugawara, you misunderstood!” Master Takeda had rosen from his seat, and had walked up to him, placing a hand on the mage’s shoulder. “We are not _those_  Crows. We have no affiliations with the Antivan Guild of Assassins that shares with us their animal symbol. It is but a coincidence.” The elf had smiled to Suga, and Suga had felt relieved. 

“Shimizu used to be one of them, though.” lady Tanaka had commented, tapping her chin with a finger. 

At that point, Suga hadn’t felt really surprised.

“I’d really like you not to tell that tale, lady Tanaka.” Suga had jumped out of his skin, when said Shimizu had appeared behind him. The woman had tried to calm him down, patting awkwardly his shoulder.

“I agree with helping ser Sugawara, anyway.”

Their meeting had ended with an overall consent.

So Ukai’s refusal felt like a jab in the jaw.

“I’m sorry about that, but I can’t have my kid- I mean, my men -and women- go into a stupid danger. Especially not now, after such a heavy defeat.”

Ukai is sitting on a cot. His tent had been completely cleaned, no one could have guessed the bloody business that had taken place the night before.

Suga notices a thin red line on Ukai’s stump. It probably needs another session of healing magic, but feels awkward about pointing it out now. He notices that the Commander doesn’t seem to be in particular pain, which is good, and probably due to the huge amount of spells and potions he had used, Suga’s also pretty sure that he isn’t delirious, by hearing his reasoning.

“I’m sorry, Sugawara, but I can’t my blessing for this. Not if I want to feel fine with my conscience.” he gives the young man an almost apologetic glance. Suga smiles forcibly, and he knows he probably looks horrible while doing so.

Daichi, on the other hand, doesn’t smile at all. He leans forward the man, looking at him from the standing position he’s in. “We don’t need your blessing. We can take indipendent action, can’t we? ‘If a member wants to take a quest that the Commander has crossed out, then they will be able to, knowing that the company isn’t obliged to help them’” he quotes, and his face his somewhere between angry and smug.

Ukai’s eye twitch. “You almost quoted it perfectly, boy. Sure, you can do what you want. But don’t expect me to help you if this goes downhill. Nor expect me to bust your asses out of prison if they decide to arrest you _and_ not kill you. Which is unlikely, but we live in strange times.”

Daichi rises his chin. “Very well, Commander. I’ll see you at the end of this mission.” he turns on his heel, and then looks at Suga over his shoulder. “You coming?”

Suga nods. “I’ll join you in a moment. I need to check upon the Commander.” Daichi gives him a sharp nod of his own, and marches out of the tent.

Ukai is silent for a second, the burst out in laughter. “Maker’s balls, but that brat needs to stick that stick out of his ass.”

Suga looks at him perplexed. “Commander?”

Ukai’s expression shifts from amused to sheepish. “Sorry about that, Sugawara. I actually want to help you, but I need that kid to start take decisions on his own. He usually is such a ‘yes man’, that I often have to remember myself that he has a will of his own. Which is strange, since when I found him he was a problem kid far to- Oh, well, I’m not the one who should tell that story.” Ukai lays on his camp bed, and allows Suga to take a look to the stump. The mage starts to unfold the bandages, ready to cast his spells.

“So you just pretended to not agree?” Suga asks, and feels stupid the moment the words leave his mouth.

“Of course I did, I just told you. I’m in no condition to command anyone anymore, so I need someone to take my place. That one being Daichi. Takeda’s got good brain, but fights like a newborn kitten. Azumane’s scared of his own shadow, Saeko’s crazy, Shimizu’s too even though she looks so well behaved, and she’s more of a intel-gatherer than a leader. Michimiya’s a good fighter, but not really a strategist. Sawamura was all that I had left, and I think that with a little nudge he could step in my boots easily enough.”

“You do know your people.”

Ukai snorts. “Well, I have to.” he moves, reaching for a pipe. He prepares it, and then extends it to Suga. “Can you light it?”

“I don’t think you should smoke right now...” Suga suggests weakily.

“And I think I should smoke right now.” Ukai gestures to Suga’s hands, which are currently on the older man’s stub. “You have no idea how weird this feels.”

Suga flushes in embarrassment, and produces a little fire that lits the pipe. Ukai takes a deep breath, then exhales. After a second of silent, Ukai resumes the conversation. “As I was saying, I have to know this people. I have  to lead them. I have to know that Azumane needs someone before him that takes hits, or that he’s the best with a greatsword in our camp, and that Michimiya rushes into battle without much thought, and that she can cheer her comrades, and so on. I have to know my people’s strengths and weaknesses. Have you ever fought in a battle?”

Suga shakes his head. He doubts that the brief quarrel with Templars the day he escaped counts has a battle. Ukai makes a knowing noise. “Thought so. You’ll understand soon enough, though. Sawamura wants you against the Templars too, right? Have you ever killed a person?”

Suga hesitates. Not willingly, he’s about to say. Ukai continues. “Again, thought so. If you thought that taking my leg was bad enough, just you wait until that day comes. I’ll pray for your sanity.”

Suga grimaces. “You really don’t like you, don’t you?”

“Quite the contrary.” Ukai looks at him with an unsettling sincerity. “I like you, you seem like a good boy. Bet you did all your homework, never made trouble. More kids should be like you. And this is why I’m telling you this. Be prepared. If you really want to join us, you’ll have to be ready to shed blood. Is part of the job application, in a way. Nobody of the people out there is clean.”

“But, Master Takeda, isn’t he like a sort of quartermaster?”

“Sure. You noticed the ears, right? He an elf. He used to manage the house of a rich nobleman. Had to kill him in order to not be killed. A sad story.” Ukai smokes some more, and Suga has to force himself not to cough.

They stay in silence. Suga replays the conversation in his head. Dimmed by the prospective of a place to be, he has underestimated what the price for that place would have been. Daichi’s plan involved fighting. It probably involved killing. Suga had been ready to kill Templars, while running away. But one thing was to kill in self-defence (all right, not much better) but another thing was to plan the trap.

Maybe there’s no need to kill. All they have to do is to incapacitate them, take the phylactery, and then leave the Templars. _You know it won’t work_  a tiny voice says in his mind. _And even if it did work, you are just pushing away the problem, it will come back_.

Suga bites his lower lips. He has no other choice, right? He has to convince himself that it’s the only thing he has to do. He won’t even bother and try to convince himself that it’s the _right_  thing to do. There’s nothing right in taking another person’s life. But he truly has no other choice.

Being a Tranquil is not a choice, it never will be. He could allow himself to die, but he doesn’t want to die. He wants to live. He always has wanted, and that’s why he has always followed rules. If he hadn’t, life or emotions and dreams would have been taken away from him. Suga wants to live, even if it means taking another person’s life, and this sudden realizations makes his chest ache with guilt. _If I were a decent person, I would never thought something like this._

His thoughts are probably written all over his face, for Ukai pokes his arm with the pipe. “Hey, now. It’s all right. There’s nothing wrong in wanting to live.”

“Do you read mind or something?” Suga forces the corner of his mouth into a smile. He hears is voice being drowsy.

“Nah, I’m just a people person. You’re also crying, and I don’t like seeing people crying.” he adds with unexpected gentleness. Suga touches his cheeks, and they are wet. He chuckles, a real chuckle even if a little bitter, and dries his tears with the edge of the sleeves.

“The bandages are done. I’ll pass again later in the day. In a few days I think you should be able to use a wooden leg or something.”

Ukai slaps his good leg. “Good then! After that I’ll start a pirate company! I’ll call it the Albatrosses, in order to keep the birdy motif.”

Suga can’t help and laugh. “Thank the Maker I know how to swim then.”

Ukai grins at him, then shoos him. “Now go to Sawamura, he’s probably waiting for you. Don’t tell him that I’m just pretending to be mad. And please, since you seem to have some influence on him, keep him in check.”

“Influence?”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know how to explain it. Just try and help him out, all right?”

Suga nods, gets up, takes the dirty bandages, and moves toward the exit. Then turns and smiles wholeheartedly. “I can’t say that I’m fine, but thank you for your words. I can see why you are the Commander.”

Ukai’s eyes go wide, and he mumbles awkwardly something that sounds like “someone’s gotta do it”. 

Suga leaves the tent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usual notes:  
> 1) I love writing Ukai? He comes so naturally to me? I mean, I don't know if he's in character, but I really didn't have to think much about what he would have said.  
> 2) Shimizu's a runaway Crow, and I don't know who expected this. I did. Because I'm the writer.  
> 3) As I was trying to find reason for Michimiya not being the new leader-commander, I actually struggled. Why couldn't Michimiya be the new Commander? She'd be awesome a kickass. Had to go and check the Wikia pages, and looks like she isn't in a collage-prep class, and I translated it into "strategies". I feel like an horrible person.  
> 4) I want to squish Asahi's cheeks. Don't worry darling, you'll have your moment to shine. Not here, probably, though.  
> 5) I imagine that people mistaking the "Karasu" and the "Crows" is something that happens often. Hey, maybe they got jobs because of such a misunderstanding.  
> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, if you want you can totally write criticism and stuff!  
> Love  
> Ziba
> 
> BTW A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LEFT NICE COMMENTS UNDER THIS FIC, LIKE I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT IS APPRECIATED
> 
> Also I don't know when next update will be. School is a pain, especially near finals.


	5. Spicy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, this is so silly  
> I can't believe   
> Next update we'll finally get at the heart of the problem, I promise

The third day after joining the mercs, Suga almost kills Daichi.

Suga had blended in quite well with everybody. It had been easy to feel part of the band, making chatting with them, helping them, being with them his daily life.

He had gotten to know them better, even if at first it had been a bit awkward.

First of all, he had discovered that Asahi was not, in fact, a Qunari. He was a Vashot that had never lived under the Qun. His parent had escaped from Par Vollen to the Free Marches, where Asahi had been born and raised. At first, he was supposed to take over his father’s business, being a smith, but later in life he had discovered that he was better with a sword than with a maul. He had taken small jobs for the village they lived near to, until one day he had encountered, and had been forced to kill, some bandits. Turned out one of those bandits was actually the rebellious child of the mayor, and therefore Asahi had been condemned to death by the people of the village. He and his family had to move somewhere else. His parents had gotten sick while fleeing, and had died shortly after. Without a place to live, Asahi had been lucky enough to bump into Ukai’s group, and to become part of it.

“I don’t have any formal training” Asahi had told him, scratching the nape of his neck “so I can’t do things like parring and dodging. I always need someone who takes the hit for me. It’s kind of pathetic.”

“I tried to teach him, but he’s so clumsy he always ends up hurting himself.” had said Daichi, who happened to be passing by.

Asahi had made a pained expression. “Well, thank you for always reminding me I’m not good enough.”

“You’d be good enough if you didn’t have that glass heart.” had chirped merrily back the human. 

“Why are you always so mean to me?” the Vashot had then whined. Daichi had patted his head, smiling and without adding a word.

After this conversation, Suga had moved back into the Commander’s tent, to check on him. There, he had found also Lady Tanaka.

“C’me here, boy, c’me here!” she had said gleefully, patting the space beside her. She was sitting on the Commander’s bed, where the man was smoking deep in thought. “Listen here, I have to ask you something.”

“Saeko. Don’t.” had pretty much ordered Ukai. She had stuck her tongue at him, while sliding an arm around Suga’s neck. “Do you think that the Commander here’s in shape for some... how do I put it... ‘action’?”

Suga had tilted his head, while Ukai had groaned. “Action? I don’t think he can get back to the battlefield.” Suga had answered innocently.

Lady Tanaka had clicked her tongue. “No, that’s not what I meant. You know, ‘adult fun’”

“For the love of the Maker, Saeko, leave the kid alone.”

“He’s not a kid, you know, and he’s your healer, right? I’m just being professional and concerned for your health.”

Ukai had smoked some more. Suga had been confused.

“I don’t think I get what you are trying to say.”

Saeko had looked at him surprised. “Tell me something, do you know where babies come from? Ever heard of birds and bees? I’m talking about that. Just... without the babies.”

“Oh. OH.” Suga had jumped on his feet. “OH yes I understand now. I, uh, I don’t know if I’d advise that right now.” he had blushed while trying to eliminate all the mental images that had started to form. “Maybe you should wait a week. Or two. I don’t know, until the leg has completely healed.” _I really don’t want you to call me because Maker-knows-how you re-opened the wound. “_ So, yeah, I think you should probably wait.”

Lady Tanaka had turned to Ukai. “See? An innocent question with an innocent answer.”

Suga had quickly checked the leg, reminded Ukai to take his potions against the pain, and then had run out of the tent, face pink like a nug’s skin.

He had found Michimiya giving him a funny look, who just worsened the blush.

“Please tell me you didn’t walk on them doing it.”

“What? No, Maker I don’t think I would have survived that.” Suga had breathed. He had immediately found a way to change subject. “Mind if I check your arm?”

She had shrugged. “I don’t mind.” she hadn’t been wearing any armor, just a loose shirt, and she had rolled up her sleeve exposing the bandaged bicep. Suga expertly undid the knot of the bandage, looked at the wound which was already becoming a scar, and re-did the bandage.

He had given her a bright smile. “Everything is fine! I think you’ll be able to take the bandage off tomorrow, Michimiya!”

She had smiled in return, and giggled a little. “I’m glad. I can’t stand that thing tickling me.” she had gestured him to follow her. “Come, I think Shimizu is cooking and I promised her to help.” Suga had obliged, and the two had chatted while reaching the near fire.

“May I ask you why you call Lady Tanaka, well, ‘Lady’?” he had asked. The nickname surely had seemed like it held a story behind.

It turned out it wasn’t a nickname. Michimiya had looked at him as if he had been dumb. “Because she’s nobility?”

The look Suga had given her was pleading her to elaborate. Michimiya had shaken her head, like a teacher before a particularly difficult student. “I don’t know the details, but I hear she’s from a fallen Nevarran family. They used to be Dragon hunters or something, but they lose all their money, and in order to have them back they participated at an uprising against the King. The Tanaka lost, and were all killed, except for Lady Tanaka and her younger brother. I don’t know how she joined the band, because when I did she was already here. But she did say that her younger brother, who has been hunting dragons in Nevarra, is going to join us too, sooner or later.”

“Thank you for the answer.” he had smiled politely. “What about you?”

Michimiya had shrugged. “Not an interesting story.” and had dropped the subject.

Shimizu had been kneeling near a pot on the fire. There had been ingredients all around her, and she had seemed intent in her cooking. Michimiya had joined her, and so did Suga. The mage had still to decide what to do of the elven woman. A part of him screamed to stay far away from the assassin, but another had caught a certain sadness in her, that made him sad as well.

She barely talked with anyone, and when she did her words were polite. She also blushed a lot more than one would expect an ex-Crow to. As Suga was watching the two women talk, he had realized that Shimizu was, actually, just shy, and not scary at all. That had taken a burden off Suga shoulders.

“Do you want to try?” had asked Michimiya, who probably noticed him staring. He flushed, but otherwise had been unperturbed.

“Sure! Seems delicious.” he had said. Michimiya had offered him a spoon of food, and he had eaten it. As he had tested it, he couldn’t help the pleased noise that escaped him.

“It is delicious! I love it. I especially love the way it tingles my throat.”

“Those are probably the spices.” had murmured Shimizu. Suga beamed at her. 

“I think you should put more.”

The two had immediately started trying to decide what more spices to add. Michimiya had seen them so into it, that she had taken her leave, leaving them at cooking duty.

When the two of them had been satisfied with the strong taste of their meal, they had called the others for launch.

The first to arrive had been Asahi and Daichi. Shimizu had poured a bowl to Asahi, while Suga was pouring to Daichi. He was quick to give it to the other young man.

“I hope you’ll like it.”

“You cooked?” Daichi had asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Suga rubbed his cheek.

“Shimizu did. I just helped with the spices.”

“Then I assume it’ll be awesome.” 

Daichi had taken a spoon of the food, put it in his mouth, chewed a bit, then had started to turn red and had started to cough, tears running from his eyes as he stopped breathing.

Asahi had immediately screeched, Shimizu had looked confused and worried, and Suga had jumped at Daichi’s side.

“Daichi? Daichi! Are you all right? What’s wrong? Are you choking?” Suga is now asking, patting energetically Daichi’s back. Daichi shakes his head, trying to talk, but only coughing some more.

“Oh Maker what to we do what to we do what do we do?” Asahi is chanting, looking around without knowing what to do with himself.

“W..ter..” Suga manages to make out this letters from Daichi’s coughing and choking.

“Water! He needs water!” he starts to yell, at nobody in particular. Shimizu runs into a tent, and returns with different flasks of water and wine. Suga takes them from her and and gives them to Daichi. Daichi chugs on them as if his life depends on it - and that’s probably how it is - and in less than three seconds finishes half the flasks.

Once he’s done with all of them, he seems to be once again master of himself. 

“What in the Maker’s name was in that food” he says, eyeing the bowl which had been thrown to the ground. 

“Nothing much? Shimizu and I played a bit with the spices.” he says, looking apologetically at Daichi. Shimizu takes a spoon and eats a little bit of food. Her face remains unchanged. 

“It’s good, and not that spicy.” she comments. Suga tries it again. Sure, it burns in his throat, but it’s not as bad as it had looked on Daichi.

Asahi tentatively tries the food too. He chokes and coughs, even though not as badly as Daichi. “Maker, this stuff should be used to kill people, not to feed them.” the Vashot had said, voice hoarse and eyes watery.

Daichi snorts. “You know, Suga, if you want to kill me at least make it painless.”

“I didn’t want to kill you” Suga mutters, looking at the pot. “I just couldn’t imagine that a bit of spices was all that it took to do it.”

Asahi laughs loudly, but has to keep it in check after the murderous glance of Daichi. 

“Did you just sass me?” Daichi asks to Suga, in disbelief. Suga smirks at him.

“I’m just trying to cover the guilt I’m feeling for almost killing you.” he says. 

They have to prepare launch again, and neither Suga nor Shimizu are allowed near the cooking stand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> 1) Saeko/Ukai? Saeko/Ukai.   
> 2) "Wait Ziba, does this mean we're getting Tanaka?" Not in this fic, sorry. But in future ones hell yeah. Tanaka the Reaver is going to be a thing, just you wait.  
> 3) If I had to write Asahi's stats, I'd say that he has Strenght at 50+ and Constitution at, like 9. Same thing with Dexterity. Now, who could have a lot of Constitution and Dexterity, and being really good at being a defensive tower? (Maybe a certain Guardian Deity?)  
> 4) Suga being able to eat really spicy things gives me life, just like the idea of Daichi being unable to deal with the 1% of spiceness. Gotta admit though, the one he cooked here WAS pretty spicy.


	6. Suga deserves better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally, action starts!  
> Also, special chapter with a shift of POV, Daichi's  
> Hope you enjoy!  
> The Angst begins
> 
> PS Also no beta-reading, sorry

Daichi is giving instruction when Lady Tanaka and Shimizu appear from the forest, a deep brow on the first face, a thoughtful expression on the second’s.

“We were scouting” starts Lady Tanaka. “And we saw a group of around five, six men.”

“More than see we heard them.” continues Shimizu. “There’s no doubt. It’s the Templars.”

Daichi scowls. It had been just five days since Suga had joined them. It was unlikely for those men to have _already_  retrieved the phylactery and followed its instructions. So, either those Templars had nothing to do with Suga, or they had found him out of sheer luck.

Daichi run to Suga’s tent, where the mage was mixing some plants together. He’s so concentrated that he doesn’t notice Daichi until he kneels beside him, an hand on his shoulder.

“Suga, Templars are coming. They’re less than an hour away.” Daichi’s panting, heaviness in his heart. He sees the same dread in Suga’s eyes.

“Already?!” Suga almost yells, getting up. “Did they already get the phylactery?”

Daichi stalks him, placing himself right before Suga. “I don’t know, but I don’t think they did.”

Suga bites his lower lip. He’s probably thinking about what to do, Daichi thinks. He puts an and on Suga’s shoulder, and squeezes.

“You stay here, all right? We are going to welcome them, see what they want. Gain some time. Don’t move from here. If something happens I’m sending Shimizu.” he tells Suga. The mage just nods, and smiles a little, more for Daichi’s benefit than because he feels the need to smile. Daichi sees that it doesn’t reach his eyes, and even though they have known each other for less than a week, he can’t tell that Suga’s faking the smile.

Daichi takes Suga’s face between his hands, feeling the cool skin under his warm one, forcing him to watch Daichi in the eyes. “It’s going to be all right, Suga, understood? I promised you that we would have destroyed that phylactery.”

Suga looks startled for a second, and then places an hand on Daichi’s. “I trust you.” His smiles is now more sincere, and Daichi gives him one of his own.

They linger there for a second, and it feels strangely conforable. Daichi pulls back, with a twist of guts. “I have to go. I’ll see you later.”

Suga nods, but then stops him half-way. “Daichi, please, don’t do anything dangerous. This is something I should be doing on my own, I think, instead I’m hiding behind you guys. I want at least none of you to get hurt.”

Daichi smiles his worries away. “If worst comes to worst, I’ll make sure that you’ll be part of the ruckus.”

“It’s much appreciated.” Daichi leaves with a wave of his hand.

The first thing he does is going to Ukai. After their argument, they had barely talked. Daichi had coordinated the camp, while Ukai had been recovering from the operation, getting used on moving with crutches Michimiya had made. He found the Commander talking with Master Takeda, both of them bending toward a map on the ground.

“Denerim is the only logical conclusion. People of all sorts pass through there, and all important jobs start from the city. We could restart from there.” Master Takeda was saying, pointing at the capital of Ferelden.

“Agreed. Also Saeko’s brother’s gonna arrive from Nevarra on a ship that’s going to arrive at Denerim’s harbour.” says Ukai, nodding to himself.

Daichi clears his throat, attracting both men’s attention. “Templars are approaching, and we are starting preparations to welcome them.”

Ukai raises an eyebrow. “That how you call stabbing them in the back? Welcoming?” 

Daichi grunts and looks away from him. “We still don’t know if they are here for Sugawara. If that weren’t the case, we are going to let them go their merry way.”

Ukai smirks at him. “Fine then. I wish you good luck with this half-assed plan of yours.” 

“I came to ask for neither of you mentioning Suga, nor leaving this tent. If a fight were to broke out, I don’t want either of you being endangered.” 

Takeda smiles at him. “Thank you, ser Sawamura. We are going to follow your instructions.”

 Daichi nods and leaves, feeling Ukai’s eyes on the back of his neck. He’s not one to fight superiors, but Ukai’s getting on his nerves. Daichi would give his life for the man, and therefore he doesn’t understand why he’s so against helping Suga. It’s not like Ukai has a particular love for the Chantry, and he seems to get along with Suga well enough, so whatever is going on inside his commander’s head is behind him.

He claps his hands, getting the attention of his comrades.”Listen here, folks. We have a squad of Templars on its way here. What they are doing here is unknown to us, but our best guess is that they are here for Suga. If you are still up for thise, fine. If not, please leave right now. No harsh feelings, I’d understand if you’d rather not risk your life for a stranger.”

“He’s not a stranger, he’s Suga.” comes the reply from Asahi. 

“I think Griffons are going to come back from their graves” Daichi’s voice was mockingly serious “ you actually said something like that, Asahi? Something I can agree on?”

“Oh just leave me alone.”

Michimiya interrupted their one-sided bickering. “Everyone is fine with this, Daichi. Let’s get down to important stuff. How do we do this thing?”

Daichi put his hand on his hips. “I want Shimizu to go to Suga. I want you to guard him, if something happens. From what I understood, he isn’t suited for battle, so I’ll be counting on you.”

Shimizu nods. Daichi nods back.

“Lady Tanaka, you go and greet them. Michimiya, go with her. I will be waiting here, and try to get their plan out of them.”

Asahi raises his hand. Daichi pinches his nose. _I’m pretty sure he hasn’t been at school, why did he raise his hand like a child?_

“Yes, Asahi?”

“What do I do?”

“You do the thing you can do best. Meaning, you stand beside me, looking as dangerous and intimidating as you can. Don’t talk, don’t move, just stand. Think you can do this for me?”

Asahi lets out a whine. “What if I have to cough? What if I sneeze? You always say that I sneeze as a puppy, and puppy aren’t exa-”

“Maker give me strenght.” Daichi rubs his temples. “Asahi, please tell me you are joking. You have to stand, that’s it.”

The look Daichi gives him stops Asahi from saying anything else.

The women leave for their assigned works, and Asahi and Daichi stand before the tent. Daichi’s heart is pounding in his ears, and he’s pretty sure he can hear Asahi’s heart as well. 

“Calm down, Asahi. You’ve been in battle so many times.” he tries to soothe the Vashot, who shots him a worried glance.

“Yeah, but this is different. I mean, there’s so few of us, the Commander won’t be at our side, we are planning a trap, and-”

“If you are so scared, why didn’t you leave? I told you that you c-”

“Suga deserves better? I mean, I’m no scholar, but... looking people away for what they are... is awful. People would do the same with me, since I’m a Vashot, and I find it unfair.” Asahi scratches his cheek sheepishly, without looking Daichi in the eyes. “You know that I’m a coward, but if I can help a person to get free... why not? Even if I’m scared.”

Daichi looks at him for a second, and that time is all that it take for Asahi to panic. “I’m sorry! I know this sounds so stupid and cheeky but-”

“You are such a goofball.” Daichi punches him in the arm. “But right now I’m almost proud of you.”

Asahi looks at him in disbelief, then gives him a smile as pure as a child’s. Daichi shakes his head at him, trying to suppress his own smile. “Try to concentrate on the scariest experience of your life. Compared to that, this should be a child’s play.”

“But what if this is the sca-” he stops mid-sentence. “Actually, I can think of something more scary.”

“Good.”

As Asahi tries to concentrate, Daichi folds his arms before his chest, staring before him, from where he assumes the Templars will appear.

He glances for a second toward the tent where Suga and Shimizu are waiting. If he thinks about it with a cold mind, he knows that he’s being irrational. Sure, they need an healer, and Suga’s a skilled one. He performed a perfect amputation without previous experience. But there are plenty of apostates that could have fulfilled that role, and having them with the band wouldn’t have been as risky, since the Templars weren’t actively. He is being stubborn, in his desire to help Suga. Stubborn and selfish, probably. Sure, the others are helping out of their own free will, but Daichi knows that he could order them to fight air and they would follow him, because their trust went to that length.

The image of the blu wisp playing around Suga came to his mind. In that moment something had moved inside of Daichi. He had left the monastery out of spite, more than because of ideals. The idea of magic as something dangerous had always been inside his mind, regardless of him completing his Templar training or not. He also had the idea of magic as something useful - “Magic exist to serve the man, never to rule over him” right? - and that is easy to understand, as mages were used as healers or weapons. He had invited Suga at the camp because he had known that he could have handled him if things had gotten out of hand, even if he didn’t admit it out loud to the mage. But it wasn’t until that blue bubble of gleeful light had played around Suga’s hand, around Daichi’s wrist, until it had illuminated Suga’s features, making him an almost otherworldly creature, that Daichi had considered magic as something “beautiful”.

What he’s doing now, as much as he tries to convince himself otherwise, is trying to preserve that beauty. Sure, it is a potentially dangerous beauty, but his guts are telling him that the owner of that particular beauty could have kept it in check.

“My, my. Aren’t y’all looking doomy and gloomy.”

Daichi had been so deep in thought, he hadn’t realized the approaching of three heavy armored man, and his two female comrade. Daichi forced a smile on his lips. 

“Welcome! I’m Sawamura Daichi, and I lead these people. May I offer you something to eat? Something to drink?”

_Dammit, Daichi, stop trying to hard_. _You’ll totally get found out._

“No, friend, all we need is a moment to rest our limbs and information.” 

Michimiya stands at the side of Daichi that Asahi had left open. Lady Tanaka sits unceremoniously beside the fire, that has long died out, even tough the ashes are still hot.

“You can rest as you want. However, I don’t know of how much help we can be about information.”

“We are searching for an escaped mage. Young, grey hair, has a mole under his eye. He’s a blood mage, and is very dangerous. Killed already a person.” the Templar captain says, sending a glance at Asahi, who looks like a stern statue.

“A _blood mage_?” Lady Tanaka shouts in a fake surprised voice. “How could this happen? A blood mage escaping? After this information, one could think that the Templars aren’t doing their job proper-”

“Lady Tanaka!” Daichi yells, trying to cover her sarcastic comment. “I think you should contain your ... ugh... worry! I’m sure the Templars here are doing their jobs-”

Lady Tanaka places an hand on her chest, where the heart is supposed to be. “I certainly hope so! How cannot sleep thinking that the warriors who should protect us are actually complete incompetents.”

“Quite the venomous tongue this one possesses.” the Templar says with gritted teeth. Lady Tanaka smiles at him mockingly.

“Anyway!” Daichi tries to get the conversation back in topic. “You said you were searching for a mage? I’m sorry, but there are no mages here.”

The Templar tilted his head, on head on the hilt of his sword. The other two had similar challenging poses. _There’s only three, we should be able to handle them._

“You do know, good ser, that hiding an apostate is punishable with death, I hope.”

Daichi nods, smiling politely. “Of course I do! But I can’t think of anyone matching your descr-”

Daichi horrible lie is cutten short by a scream. His blood chills in his veins for a second, but he recovers quickly. The scream doesn’t come from around Suga’s tent, and it’s definitely not Suga or Shimizu’s voice.

“What was that?” Michimiya muttered, eyebrows furrowed.

“Probably a wild animal.” the Templars shrugs it off. Daichi’s eyes narrows, as cold sweat starts to form on his back. The situation is quickly getting out of hand, he realizes, if the Templars’ smug smirk says anything.

“That sounded pretty human to me.”

“Well, maybe the Dalish are hunting some poor sod.” 

“Is everything all right here?”

Daichi’s face transforms into a mask of surprise, as Shimizu approaches them, with a worried expression. She probably heard the scream and came to check. But why? Daichi had given her quite clear orders.

“But see this! You have your own bunny-ears!” the Templars shouts, even though the way he watches Daichi is screaming “busted”. “You have other people around here then? Mind if I check?”

Daichi tighten his jaw. “Yes I do mind. I mind the way you talk about my comrades, and I mind what you are implying.”

The Templars all chuckle with malice. Their leader gestures toward Daichi, amused. “Unbelievable! This kid tries to act all as he actually has a pair!”

Daichi takes a step forward. “This kid is politely telling you to _sod off_.”

A rustle from behind Daichi grasp his attention. Three men emerge from the Commander’s tent, two of them lifting a conscious-less Ukai, and another dragging Master Takeda, who had been made quiet with a cloth around his mouth. The man is obviusly trying to tell something to Daichi, but Daichi be damned, he can’t understand what.

“Now, you are quite the crowd. You probably forgot about my mage among all these people.” the Templar takes a step near Daichi. Asahi moves to get near, but he finds a sword pointed at his throat.

“Oh, look, Commander, seems like beasts like this at least understand when their life is at stake.” says the Templar who’s pointing the sword at him.

The other Templar that accompanied the leader moves near Michimiya, and gently nudges her at her side, prompting her to drop her sword. Michimiya’s about to actually draw them and attack, but a glance from Daichi refreins her.

The Templar Commander unleashes his sword, and slowly rests it against Daichi’s throat.

“Last chance...”

“Got him!”

Daichi turns.

Another Templar, that he hadn’t seen before, joins them, with a far too happy expression on his face. He was dragging Suga by his hair, and the mage was struggling to keep up with the man’s pace.

Daichi’s eyes go wide. _They smited him_ he realizes, as Suga seems to be drained of all his energy. 

The Templar throws Suga in the ground, right under the Commander’s feet. He then steps on Suga, keeping him pinned to the ground, an armored boot between his shoulder blade.

Daichi feels his stomach drop, as Suga turns and watches him in the eyes. His face his bloody, the nose broken and bleeding.

Suga watches Daichi right in the eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> 1) I didn't want to make the Templars the typical cliché evil people, but I also am a burning mage supporter. *sighs* decisions decisions  
> 2) ASAHI PURE ANGEL SMILE  
> 3) I love Asahi and Daichi's friendship, even if it consists on Daichi being mean to Asahi.  
> 4) Shimizu isn't stupid, there's a reason why she left Suga  
> 5) Let's play a game, is called how many templars can I have in one chapter  
> 6) SAEKO ROASTING TEMPLARS IS AESTHETIC  
> 7) My poor Suga  
> That's all!  
> Love you all  
> Ziba


	7. Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The previous chapter, but from Suga's POV because pain.
> 
> (No beta reading, sorry)  
> #MagesRight2kAlwaysBecauseStuffLikeThisCannotHappen

Suga’s pacing trough the tent, back and forth, back and forth.

He has no idea if the Templars have already arrived. If they are talking with Daichi, if they are fighting, if they have left, if they are searching for him. His head is playing all kind of scenarios, each worse than the previous. Shimizu’s silence doesn’t help him to calm down.

“Maybe you should head out and check on them.” proposes Suga, hopeful.

Shimizu gives him a sad smile. “Sorry, I cannot do that. Daichi was very straightforward.”

Suga smiles back, more out politeness than anything else. He goes back to pacing.

He’s worrying to much. Daichi promised that, if things went downhill, he’d go and fetch Suga. Suga knows that Daichi would have kept his word. But what if he can’t? Say that the Templars attack. It’s not like he can ask them “Would you please hold on a second? I’m going to fetch the very mage you came to kill to have some help in fighting you. Oh you will? How exquisite of you!”

Suga snorts at the very thought of it. Maybe he can sen someone? No, that can’t have happened either. It’s not like Daichi has many people to spare, he can’t allow no one to just play messenger.

He has to go out and check for himself. He has to. He’s getting eaten from the inside. This is stupid, it has been stupid from the very beginning. He just needs to walk there, pretend to have _casually_ stumbled upon the camp _just now_ , and allow the Templars to make what they want of him. He could have tried to escape when the Crow’s camp was long behind them. Yes, he shouldn’t have been that egoistic. His wish to live clouded is judgment, and made him selfish, but now that he sees that he can make this right. It’s not like Suga doesn’t deserve punishment. His actions _did_  result into someone’s death. He had to amend for that.

_Aren’t nightmares and a gut-eating guilt punishment enough?_

Suga stops, and puts an hand on his lower abdomen, where said-guts are twisting painfully. He shots a glance at Shimizu, but she’s just standing, arms folded under her chest, deep in thoughts that Suga doesn’t feel like interrupting. She’s surely worried too. She has known the others for more time, and she surely cares for them a great deal. 

“I’m sorry, Shimizu, that you have to stay here with me.”

Unlike his previous predicament, Suga actually shakes her from her thinking. Shimizu doesn’t seem to mind, though, as she gives him a tiny smile. “It’s not a problem. I know where I’m needed, and I’m happy with doing everything I can to be of help.” She tilts a little her head, smile still on. “You shouldn’t worry so much. Daichi knows what he’s doing, and the others are skilled. Have faith.”

“Faith? In the Maker? Or in them?”

“Why not both?”

Suga sighs. He has always felt like the Maker hated him, so he has never been a good Andrastian. And while he did have faith in his newly gained comrades, he still knows that there’s no amount of faith that can counter a badly gone plan.

Just as this gloomy thoughts fill his mind, a scream breaches the air. Suga’s head immediately jolts toward the point where it comes from, and his muscles freezes, breath caught in his throat.

The direction his roughly where the centre of the camp is supposed to be.

“Shimizu...!” he gasps. Shimizu is also looking toward the same point, body leaning forward as if ready to speed there. Her feet, tough, are anchored to the ground. “Shimizu, please, go and check on them. You can come back as soon as you are certain that everything is all right.”

“Daichi said not to move.” she’s gritting her teeth. She wants to go too. Suga takes her for her shoulders, and begs her to go, both with his eyes and his voice.

“You just need to go and check. Please, I’m begging you.”

Shimizu’s biting her lower lip. She looks at the exit of the tent, then at Suga, then back at the exit. Then she nods, and Suga lets go of her. “I’ll be right back.” she promises, and then she leaves, running.

Suga bites in his hands, trying not to follow her. His heart is beating so fast and so hard it feels like it’s going to leave his chest and run after Shimizu. He keeps his eyes fixed on the exit.

Maybe it was just a forest animal. Maybe it was a particularly obnoxious bird. Maybe they both had freaked out and heard things that didn’t exist. Or maybe that was the cry of one of their comrades. It feels like the voice was Asahi’s, but it might be Suga’s mind playing jokes on him. On second thought, the voice was more like Takeda’s. But Takeda is in the Commander’s tent, nobody will get there, why would they?

The scream repeats itself again in Suga’s mind, and now it definitely sounds like Daichi’s. Yes, it’s Daichi’s voice. It has to be. 

Suga decides that, if Shimizu’s not back when he’s finished counting to one hundred, he goes out and then what will be will be.

He’s around eighty-seven when the sort of door that the tent has flutters.

Suga’s entire body shifts toward it, as if attracted by it. Shimizu must be back, and she’s good news, right?

His brain barely registers a silver glint when hot, white pain shakes him from head to toe, bringing him to his knees, screaming like a new born baby.

“Well, well, it it isn’t Ser Hide-n-Seek.”

Suga rises his head a little. A Templar is hovering over me. He raises his hand again, the Chant of Light falling from his lips. Another Smite hits him, and all air is forced out of him. He tries to call some magic, a little fireball, a wisp, just a Mind Blast that would have gotten the Templar off him, but he finds himself without any mana left, the Fade a distant place that he cannot reach.

Suga cannot even move, crouched on the ground, shaking because of the pain of that connection violently broken, and because of the cold that the absence of that connection has left. Suga can swear that he has not even blood anymore in his veins, that nothing is left inside him.

“I hope you are enjoying your little experience of what being a normal human being feels like.” the Templar keeps talking, moving around the curled up form of Suga, until Suga can see his booted feet before his nose. Suga looks up at him, scared with all the fibers of his being. The man his wearing a full-head helmet, but Suga _knows_  he’s smirking at him. “I was wondering since, you know, when we go back the higher-ups have already decided for you to be put under the Tranquil treatment.”

Suga lets out an animal noise, the same noise a caged animal would make when trapped. The mention of Tranquility shakes Suga at his core. He lunges toward the Templar’s ankles, against the pain, against the exhaustion. He has no magic, but he’s still a man that can use his body to hurt. 

Suga doesn’t move according to a plan. He sees the nearest objective, and attacks it out of instinct. He doesn’t know if he wants to break those ankles, bite them off, or just take them off the Templar’s weight. This indecisiveness slows him down for a fraction of a second, which is all that it takes the Templar to kick him in the face.

Suga hears the nose crack, and lets out another growl of pain. His hands cover his nose, trying to stop the bleeding, but he feels his hair being pulled violently. The Templars is forcing him on his feet, tugging at his hair.

“C’me on, do you want to keep the Captain waiting? Move already.” the Templar keeps giving sudden and painful tugs at Suga’s hair, while exiting the tent.

Suga tries to fight back, to stop walking, to fall and be a dead weight for the Templar to carry. The man doesn’t seem to care, as he just tighten the grip on his hair, and keeps moving forward.

Suga’s eyes start to tear up, his nose is still bleeding, and the touch of the Templar drains him of energy, some other damned trick of theirs, dripping.

His lungs burn, his veins ask for nourishment, his body cries for mercy. _Make it stop, make it stop, it hurts, it’s draining me, it’s killing me..._

Suga barely perceives the sounds around him, ears ringing. He doesn’t really hear what the Templar says. The moment he touches the ground when thrown at it is a blessing, a moment of peace from the dripping. A moment that ends a second later, when the Templar pins him to the ground with a foot, pushing air out of him, and starting again the draining.

He does see the sword pointed at Daichi, tough. He does see his fearing eyes.

Suga looks at him in eyes, a silent word screamed at him.

_Sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> 1) Sorry if it's super short. It was supposed to go a little further from there, but I liked the dramatic way it ended so yeah  
> 2) Please tell me if it feels sappy  
> 3) Suga and Shimizu's friendship developing! YAY  
> 4) I wanted to have the Templar say stuff like "My relatives were killed by mages" and blah blah but MAGES RIGHT was stronger, so here, have unproblematic villain dude  
> 5) Next chapter's gonna be a lot of action!  
> 6) I have already prepared ideas for other fics, one revolving around how Suga got his second specializations (which is? can you guess? ehheheheh), one around Asahi and pretty much the DA version of Dateko (which is actually the same as Suga's specialization, but multi-focus, multi-pov fic so), another around the Grey Wardens from Fukurodani (DID I JUST yes I did, but this is a little blurry respect my other ideas), also one with nevertheless his worship the Inquisitor (I'm not gonna tell you who this is, but I'm telling you that he'll be a mage (aka setter), human noble, but also a huge nerd and an ugly crier with a best friend that loves him too much - if you get it I'll love you forever). Also, I need to add the first and second years at one point. Gonna see about how to do that  
> 7) As much as I love DAO, I decided to set this during DAI timeline because of reasons.  
> 8) Everything can change tough. Might have other ideas and change the other fics I have planned.  
> I think it's all!  
> Love  
> Ziba


	8. Well met, Koushi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Action! Drama! Feels! No beta! Baddassery! All in today's installment!

“You know, if there’s one thing that I can’t stand, it’s liars.” the Templar Captain backhands Daichi with an armored fist, and it sends the younger man on the ground, a bruise forming on his jaw. “You could have just send us to the mage, and we would have gone our way, no hard feelings. Sure, I should have killed you all for hiding him, but I know how this guys are. They charme their way through people’s hearts, cry a little to make people sympathetic to them.” he crouches down at Daichi’s level, looking at him with a tilt of head. “You do know that a mage blew up Kirkwall’s Chantry, right? Killing hundreds?”

“Not Suga.” Daichi manages  despite the pain from his jaw. The Templar snorts, rise, and reaches Suga, who’s still standing under the other Templar’s foot, unable to do more than grunt and twitch. 

The knight points at him with his sword. “Why not him? What could stop him from doing something like that? Nothing, that’s what. All they need is to flip, and they could destroy the world with a snap of their fingers.” 

Suga’s hands sink into the ground, frustration rising into his chest. They should take advantage of the Templar’s fanatic blabbering, but he can’t see or hear or feel anyone moving. 

Two Templars are on a unconscious Ukai. Another is pointing a sword at Master Takeda’s throat. Same for Michimiya and Asahi, who seems to have been terrified into stillness. There are four men around Shimizu, who’s been tied with her harms behind her back. Other two are keeping Lady Tanaka pinned to the ground, as she tries to slip away from them. Daichi is being stalked by the Templar Captain, even if at a distance.

There are thirteen Templars, against the eight of them, actually, the six of them, since Takeda and Ukai are in no shape to fight. And come to think of it, neither is Suga. That takes them down to five. 

Suga grits his teeth. He sends a glance to Daichi, hoping do find a plan on his face, hoping to have a silent conversation that could free them of that situation. Daichi isn’t looking at him, though. He’s following the Templar Captain with his eyes, a quiet fury in them. Suga feels a wave of fear. He’s never seen Daichi really furious, but had heard from Asahi that it was a sight to behold with fear. At first Suga had thought that it was the Vashot’s impressionable heart to talk; now he can tell that you don’t need an impressionable heart to be scared of Daichi.

The Templar Captain crouches against near Daichi, slapping an hand on his shoulder. Daichi’s muscles tense at the contact, almost ready to leap at him. The man notices, and grabs the shoulder, diving his fingers in his flesh, painfully. “Listen, friend. I don’t want to kill you all, all right? It would be a real waste, and then we’d have to write a report, and it would be an over-all pain. So, let’s make a deal. You guys give us all the money you’ve gathered with your work, you leave us your weapons, armors, and valuable goods. We take the mage, and we allow you to keep your lifes.” his head quirks toward Asahi. “And we take that thing too. We can’t have it rampage around, can we?What kind of men of faith would we be, leaving it free?”

“He’s not a thing.” Daichi growls.

Suga thinks rapidly. Why would the Templar even ask? He could take what he wants after killing them all. Is he playing with Daichi? Maybe he was like those cats that like to play with their pray before eating it. What if he actually does have a conscience, and doesn’t want to kill people? Well, people who are not mages. Or Vashots, apparently. If so, Daichi could persuade him to leave Asahi alone, take the stuff and Suga, and leave. Daichi could convince him to do so, if he wants.

“And I have only one thing to say about your proposition.” Daichi continues. He spits at the Templar’s feet.

Daichi doesn’t want to convince him. Suga, despite himself, mentally puts an hand on his face. He had hoped Daichi had more sense than that. The good of the many is much more important than the good of the single. It had been a pretty dream, thinking he could have gotten out of that situation alive, or with his humanity intact. It was time to wake up.

Suga feels a sudden tug at the nape of his neck, but he is still on the ground, and the Templar on him has not moved. He blinks, perplexed. He feels it again, but this time it’s like a cold hand is lingering on his exposed skin.

_Well met, Koushi._

Suga sucks in a breath. The voice had rung in his head, and yet it has felt like someone’s breathing on his ear. It has an ethereal harmony in it, that voice. It’s not a human voice, nor an elf’s nor a dwarf’s nor from anyone on Thedas.

His connection to the Fade is weak, but it’s still strong enough to drive demons near the Veil, and attempt contact with him, it seems.

_No, not going to fall for this. I’m not going to revolve to-_

_Why not, though? Templars already want you dead, at this point just give them a real reason. I can grant you the power to protect you friends, and to kill them. Isn’t this worth losing your body for?_

_As if I’d lose only that_

Suga is desperate, but he won’t revolve to blood magic. He cannot. He doesn’t know if he can control a demon, if he can fight back against a demon trying to take over his mind and body and soul. If he were to transform in an abomination, he’d eventually kill them too. It would be the contrary of everything he wishes. 

Suga squeezes his eyes, trying to even his breath. He has to put the demon out of his mind, of his heart. It’s too close to him, it's closing his claws around him.

The Templar Commander clicks his tongue. “Really idiotic. And gross. And barbaric. Oh well, it seem like we can’t do this like civil people, then.” he takes the hilt of his sword with two hands, and seems to be about to behead Daichi. “Maybe after your head rolls, your comrades will be more willing to comply. Say goodbye.” 

Suga sees Daichi about to move, lunge to the side, in order to avoid the hit.

It happens really quickly. With what little strength remains in Suga’s body, he rolls on his back, muscles crying in pain. The movement is so sudden and abrupt, that the Templar momentarily loses his balance, leaning forward. Suga take advantage of hit, and kicks with all his might behind the Templar’s nearest knee. The man falls on.

The commotion surprise everybody. Everybody’s head jerks toward Suga, except Shimizu’s. Shimizu pounces, moving her arms under her legs, and now her hands are before her chest. She grabs the nearest Templar, using her tied hands like a strangling rope around the man’s neck. The other Templars immediately turn toward her, attacking, but she uses the man’s body as a shield. One of the attacks actually hits the ropes around her wrist, freeing her. She lets go of the body, throwing it against Lady Tanaka’s attackers, who let go of her for a second in order not to be crushed by the weight of their dead fellow Templar. Lady Tanaka jumps on her feet, knives in her hands, a predatory grin on her face.

This starts the fighting.

Asahi avoids the lunge at his jugular by an inch, then, lacking a better strategy, headbutts the Templar stalking him. He tackles him then, knocking him down. He runs for his sword, that has been abandoned a few feet away, then runs for the men on Ukai and Takeda. One of the man on Ukai falls to the ground on his own. A punch from the Commander reveals his not-being-so-unconscious-anymore status. Master Takeda rises his arms before his face, but the Templar who kept him hostage is moving toward Asahi, not paying attention to him. Michimiya grabs the Templar’s wrist, twist it, and makes him fly. She takes the sword from him, and stabs him in the chest with it. The man dies almost on the spot.

Daichi attacks the Templar Commander, aiming at the sword in his hands. The two fight over it, pulling and pushing and kicking, pure brute force the only thing that will decree the victor.

Suga rolls back on his stomach, crawling away from the Templar and near the dead fire. He hears the rustling of the armor of the Templar. He thrusts his hand in the ashes of the bonfire, feels the heat that lingers there biting his hand, and takes an handful of the hot cinder. In that exact moment, he feels his hair being grabbed, and tugged back forth. He’s again eye to eye with the Templar.

“You little bastard. I’m going to-”

Suga shoves the ashes into the hole for the eyes of the Templar’s helmet. The man lets go of him, yelling in surprise, moving to remove his helmet. Suga doesn’t let him. He encloses the man’s waist with his arms, clashing against the armor, and pins him down. The man is physically stronger than Suga, he’s taller than him, with a much more muscular built, but the ashes in the eyes and the surprise weaken him enough to give Suga a chance.

Automatically, Suga’s hands grab the Templar’s throat, and starts to tighten his grip. The man’s choking, gurgling, gasping for air. Suga’s arms ache, he’s painting heavily, he’s screaming internally, rage and fear and instinct fomenting his strength. It feels wrong, it is wrong, he’s taking a life, _but it’s him or me, it’s him or me, it’s him or them, I have to help them, I have to help me and he’s on the way_.

When the body stills under his grip, he lets go. The men’s eyes are half-open, his mouth still as if it is gaping for air, but still. Suga feels sick at the stomach, he’s about to throw up, but his hands are searching the body for something, a long gone memory, who had been buried in his mind, resurfacing, guiding his movements.

It’s in a sack attached to the man’s belt, that Suga finds what he was searching for.

A lyrium potion.

He chugs on it, the bitter liquid wetting his tongue, filling his mouth, warming his belly, reinvigorating his body. His senses are sharp again, and he can feel again the Veil around him, the reassuring presence of the Fade.

Suga abandons the body, propping on his feet, resolve behind his motions. He immediately moves his hands, the Veil wrapping around his fingers, as he chants a blessing. The wave of energy takes form in his palms. He raises his arms, letting it go.

Daichi is surrounded for a second by an aura of light. He looks surprised for a second. His eyes meet Suga’s, and the mage gives him a small, complicit smile. Daichi smiles back, and thanks to Suga’s spell he has the upper hand on the Templar Commander.

Suga starts casting again, adrenaline and the lyrium, much rawer than what mages where usually supplied with, fuel him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> 1) Damn this was fun. I love writing action-ish scenes. I just hope it was well-written  
> 2) Suga's not falling for you mr.Demon. But mr. Demon is going to appear again, I'm afraid.  
> 3) AsahiProtectionSquad but also VashotProtectionSquad  
> 4) I have this sort of headcanon, that might have started from something canon (it's been a while since I played DA, sorry) that Templar's lyrium is less refined, and therefore it's addictive, while mages' it's a lot less strong, to keep them from being too overpowered and because if they had to keep up with both mages and templars addictions, the Chantry would finish the lyrium in 2 days  
> 5) Ninja Shimizu. And badass Ukai. AND BADASS SAEKO  
> 6) I think I have one more chapter, or two, to go.  
> 7) Daichi was trying to say "It was not Suga who blew up the Chantry", but I bet his jaw was hurting like hell, so he just managed those two words.  
> 8) Suga probably saw Templars with a lyrium potion in the Circle, but didn't think much of it. Now is unconscious made the miracle and brought the memory back. That's unconscious for you, guys.  
> 9) I don't why, but I kinda like the Templar Captain. He's an ass, but he's got that smugness that makes him likeable. Sort of. He also honestly didn't want to kill Daichi and the others, I think. Still gonna kick his butt. #protectmages  
> That would be all! Thank you for reading.  
> Love you all  
> Ziba


	9. Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Breaths in.  
> Breaths out.  
> It's over guys, last chapter.  
> *wipes away single tear*

Another Templar falls, and now their numbers are even.

Suga has never cast as many spells as today in his entire life at the same time. He feels the tiredness in his limbs, but also a sort of frenzy, a maniacal feeling that keeps him going. The way his magic heals and rejuvenate, the little smiles and nodes from his comrades, it’s all slightly euphoric.

He sends another wave of magic toward Asahi, who was bleeding a little from an injury at his hip. The Vashot acknowledges the healing with a small twitch of his head at Suga, then he lunges at the Templar before him. With a strength that’s raw power, he takes apart armor and flesh and bone, killing the man instantaneously.

“Go help Ukai!” Suga barks, pointing at the man that’s fist fighting on the ground with a Templar, each trying to knock out the other man. Asahi nods, running and following Suga’s order. He effortlessly kicks the Templar off Ukai, and slices him in half as if he were an apple. Suga stares for a moment, dumbfounded at Asahi’s skills. Despite his heart glass, as Daichi had called it, the guy could certainly fight.

Suga turns, focusing again on the battle. Daichi and the Templar Captain are dueling in the middle of the camp. Suga had been distracted when a second sword had found its way between the two of them, but he can see that Daichi’s using the Templar’s sword, while the other man has picked up another one, maybe from the man Suga’s killed.

“Suga! Some help here!” Suga jerks his head toward Lady Tanaka, who’s bleeding from her forehead, and dodging swings from the Templar she’s fighting against. It’s a superficial wound that’s probably more annoying than painful, so he heals it from a distance. The woman grins at him, gives him a thumbs up, and throws an hidden dagger at the man’s shoulder. He then spits blood, as a sword emerges from his chest. The sword disappears immediately, the man falls, revealing a bloody Michimiya standing behind him.

“Damn! I almost had him!” complains Lady Tanaka.

“Suga!” the mage heard his name again, and turns. It’s Daichi calling him, suddendly bleeding from a shoulder. “Get me a shield!” he orders, dodging another attack. “Asahi! Come here and do your job!” he keeps barking. He attacks again, more to keep the Templar away than to do any damage. Asahi immediately runs at him, attacking the man from below, but the Templar almost effortlessly pars it with his sword.

Suga checks the camp turned battlefield for a shield, and finds one, abandoned near Ukai’s tent. He speeds to it, avoiding for an inch the man that Shimizu’s trying to kill. He grabs the shield with both of his hands, as if it were a treasure, and flies back at the centre of the camp.

Asahi and Daichi are using a sort of combo, Daichi intercepting the blows, then moving aside, making space for Asahi’s attack. Suga’s eyes are untrained for war, but even he notices that there’s a sort of lag in the movements between the two, like a not so well oiled mechanism. Daichi lingers too much after receiving the hit, while Asahi waits exactly half a second too long before attacking. The pattern is also predictable enough, and the Templar seems to have grown accustomed to it.

“Daichi!” Suga calls, showing him the shield. Daichi looks at him for a second. He parries, leaves the place to Asahi, and races to Suga.

Daichi grasp the shield from his hands, just the quickest of glances as a thank, and goes back to Asahi, who has been driven in a corner in the split of second he has been left on his own. A hit from above is about to slice him from shoulder to waist, but Daichi puts himself between the sword and Asahi, shield high kept with his good arm.

The hit reverberates, the man’s body language betraying annoyance. Daichi sneers at him, and Suga feels kind of proud. Then his attention is brought again to his bleeding shoulder. Suga’s quick to heal it at the best of his ability, since it seems to need a calmer attention.

The shield helps Daichi and Asahi to be more synchronized, even though something seems still off in their movements. Suga sends another blessing, this time toward Asahi, who had started to pant heavily.

An arrow pierces the Templar in the back, unbalancing him a little, and it’s followed by a knife that knocks his helmet off. 

“Whatcha ya say now, ya bastard?” Lady Tanaka bellows, a throwing knife in each hand, while Shimizu stands beside her with a bow and arrows. She loads another shot, aiming it at the man’s head.

The Templar looks around himself, and realizes that all his companions have died. He swears under his breath, eyes trying to find a way out. He turns toward Suga.

He’s about to say something, but he’s cut short by the arrow piercing his skull. His body falls on the ground, lifeless.

Suga watches it, with wide eyes. But the thought that crosses his mind has nothing to do with the grim scene before him. No, the thought it’s pretty selfish.

_Does he have my phylactery_.

There’s silence for a second in the camp, an unnatural stillness, broken by heavy panting and by Ukai’s grunts of pain at a bleeding nose and what looks like the opening of his wound. Dammit, Suga sees the blood from the bandage. It had healed, so why it’s bleeding again? Probably during the brawl one of the Templar had poke at it or something.

Daichi let’s the shield fall, as well as the sword.

“Is everybody all right?”

A weak chorus of “yes” rises, exeption made by Ukai’s barking.

“Nope! Didn’t I ask you to leave me out of this, Sawamura?”

Daichi rubs the nape of his neck, sheepishly. “Sorry about this, Commander. Things didn’t go according plan, I suppose.”

Ukai snorts. “Yeah, I guessed that much. That’s why you always have a back-up plan. Remember this for next time. Sugawara! Want to come here and take a look, please?” the question is half plead, half order, and Suga hurries to him.

“Search the bodies, see if they have anything nice on them.” says Daichi, looting the Captain’s body. After a little while, he shouts victorious.

“Suga! Suga!” Daichi calls, running toward him, shaking him by his shoulder.

“Daichi, wait a second, I’m trying to he-” his sentence his cut short by the item that Daichi shows him. Suga’s heart sinks in his stomach.

“It’s the phylactery.”

It’s a little hourglass, that instead of containing sand contains blood, his blood. Around it is a ring of gold, that allows the hourglass to move, not differently from the needle of a compass. Instead of pointing north, though, it pointed to the mage whose blood belonged to.

Suga leaves alone Ukai, much to his displeasure, and takes gently the little object from Daichi’s hands. It barely fills his palms, and it’s almost pretty, like a precious if a bit peculiar jewel. Suga stares at it, then he looks at Daichi, who’s smiling at him.

Suga crushes the phylactery to the ground.

Glass breaks his skin, piercing it, and fresh blood mixes with old one, that’s already starting to waste away. Suga pushes his hand on the broken phylactery, on the ground, almost as he’s feeding his own blood to the earth.

Suga feels an hand on his shoulder, and starts to silently cry.

Suga’s free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> 1) *cries*  
> 2) I hope the ending doesn't feel too abrupt. I wanted to convey a feeling of relief of sort. Not many words, not much description, just the fact as it is.   
> 3) Now up with the next fic of the serie *rubs hands*  
> Thank you all for your support through this. It was really helpful (to use an understatement), and appreciated and I love you guys all right? I love these guys too, I love Dragon Age I love everything.  
> See you next fic!  
> Thank you for reading! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  
> Love you all   
> Ziba

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed  
> Thank you again for reading!  
> Love  
> Ziba
> 
> PS: If you want to leave suggestions or just want to chat, you can find my Tumblr blog @zibasworld


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